About Sébastien ETIEVANT, western symbolism and Goryo Shinko Painting
After an in-depth study of western Tarot lore and related
traditional symbolism, Sébastien Etievant started to grasp the
incredible power of colors and their tight relationship to the
realm of the psyche. He quickly started creating his own
Tarot Trump based acrylic canvases, deeply rooted in
Jung's Tiefenpsychologie as well as in some of Aleister
Crowley's teachings, step by step building his personal
universe and unique acrylic technique. Most of these esoteric and sometimes
morbid canvases were displayed in Paris in 2012, as part of the Attentat
Artistique Festival.
In 2010, Sébastien Etiévant had already undertaken a series of long visits in
Japan, which he describes as "The Country of Ghosts". He gathered a lot of
inspiration from powerspots like Osorezan - 恐山 (Mountain of terror), sleep paralysis
induced visions, urban legends and folk tales he collected, especially in
Northern Japan (Kitatouhoku region)...
read more...
This resulted in 2014 in a shift towards an apparently
less psychology inspired and more purely spiritual form
of art he named "Goryo Shinko Painting", and which could be
trace back its roots to an ancient religion called Goryô Shinkô (御霊信仰-ごりょうしんこう),
the religion of ghosts : Japanese people from the Heian
period indeed used to believe that when properly
worshipped, vengeful spirits can turn into benevolent
divinities.
Every ghost illustration needs a preliminary study, that
consists of dozens of different sketches and paintings,
before the ultimate canvas can be achieved... Only a
painting which has succeeded in capturing faithfully
enough the spirit's essence can considered by the artist
as a valuable offering to the Otherworld and thus be labelled as "final".
This series of paintings also demonstrates a strong Christian influence, which
can be related to the ancient Maria Kannon cult. In the same way that
the mid-17th century outlawed Christians worshipped Kannon statues as
symbols of Maria, the "Snow Witch" that Sébastien Etiévant relentlessly
depicts in his paintings might be understood as symbols not only of Nature,
but also of the sadness, benevolence and purity of Mary, mother of Christ.
Jorogumo - II - 女郎蜘蛛
Finished my 3rd painting on wood -
Akaname - II - 垢嘗
Finished my second painting on wood - Akaname, the dirt licking yokai. (custom order)
Amabie - II - アマビエ
Finished my first painting on wood of Amabie, Japanese creature supposed to protect against pandemics. These are for sale, message me uenoeki54ban@gmail.com if interested. PS: No refund if you get Corona. アマビエのちいちゃい絵今日、一枚完成しました。販売させていただきまう。興味があったら、ご連絡お願いいたします！
Amabie 1 - アマビエ
Finished my first mini canvas/ talisman of Amabie, Japanese creature supposed to protect against pandemics. These are for sale, message me uenoeki54ban@gmail.com if interested. PS: No refund if you get Corona. アマビエのちいちゃい絵今日、一枚完成しました。販売させていただきまう。興味があったら、ご連絡お願いいたします！
Johnny Kahn - Wolfpit
Just finished the artwork for Johnny Kahn's upcoming album "Wolfpit". More info on his band on his website
荼枳尼天 - 2 - Dakiniten
Dakiniten (荼枳尼天). A deity originating from India - she was a servant of Maha Kali- which is both worshipped in the Shingon branch of Buddhism and in traditionnal Japanese Animism (Shinto), as an avatar of Inari. (to make a long story short). This one is the original Indhu godddess/demon
荼枳尼天 - I - Dakiniten
Dakiniten (荼枳尼天). A deity originating from India - she was a servant of Maha Kali- which is both worshipped in the Shingon branch of Buddhism and in traditionnal Japanese Animism (Shinto), as an avatar of Inari. (to make a long story short).
姦姦蛇螺 - I - Kankandara
ew painting ：姦姦蛇螺 （kankandara) I heard about this legend lately and found inspiration for a new (series of ?) painting(s). A shrine maiden has been sacrificed to a giant snake in order to save her village. The hideous snake only devoured the lower half of her body and the shrine maiden shortly after turned into a six arm hydra with huge boobs (that's how my colleagues told me the story, but maybe they just wanted me to draw boobs. )
ある村を守るため、巫女は生贄としてでかい蛇に食べられた。でもあの蛇は巫女の下の部分しか食べなかった。巫女は腕六本のおっぱい大きい妖怪に成った。同僚にその話聞かせてもらった。そのおっぱいの話は結構怪しい。。。たぶん同僚さんはおっぱいを描いて欲しがって、その言い訳みつけたかなあ。。。とにかく、今でもだいぶ森奥に行ったら、あの妖怪に遭う恐れがあるので、気をつけてください！
お菊 - V - Total Curse
New painting based upon Okiku's legend.
滝夜叉姫 - III / Princess Takiyasha at Sôma Palace
Painting based upon a legend from Fukushima prefecture. Princess Takiyasha, daughter of Taira No Masakado, defending her ruined castle, riding a giant magic frog.
沼御前 - II / La vierge aux couleuvres
Painting based upon a legend from Fukushima prefecture named Numagozen. Finished by pure chance on the anniversary date of 03/11.
番町皿屋敷のお菊様 - III / Okiku's Ghost in The Well III
Small size Okiku Painting.
十六人谷 - VII
Juurokunintani, seventh version. A3 Format.
怪談雪女郎 - XVII / Ghost Story Of The Snow Witch
Ghost Story Of The Snow Witch ( Yuki Onna), seventeenth version. A3 Format.
怪談雪女郎 - XVI / Ghost Story Of The Snow Witch
Ghost Story Of The Snow Witch ( Yuki Onna), sixteenth version. small size.
ムカデ姫の墓 - IV / Grave Of Princess Centipede
I came across Princess Centipede's Grave site by pure chance, while wandering around Morioka's temples and shrines...After having this straneg story retranslated from Japanese, I started a series of sketches and finally was satisfied with this canvas...
